The kids whooped and hollered in gleeful approval of director Will Gluck's adaptation of Beatrix Potter's "Peter Rabbit." This even included the 10-to-12 contingent, usually too sophisticated to admit endorsement of an entertainment that might indict them of liking "baby stuff." And while the littler ones among the audience of fully engaged firstnighters whose space I recently invaded brought fingernails to lips whenever the title character risked cottontail and whiskers for ill-gotten vegetation, they, too, were otherwise charmed. I was heartened by several insights, not the least of which was the erudition evinced by these young moviegoers

February is American Heart Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is a leading cause of heart disease. Smoking can:

• Raise triglycerides (a type of fat in your blood) • Lower "good" cholesterol (HDL) • Make blood sticky and more likely to clot, which can block blood flow to the heart and brain • Damage cells that line the blood vessels • Increase the buildup of plaque (fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances) in blood vessels • Cause thickening and narrowing of blood vessels

Smoking can lead to the narrowing of blood vessels and high blood pressure and quitting smoking greatly

Gen. George Washington taking command of the Continental Army in Cambridge in 1775.

Washington's Birthday will be celebrated on Monday, Feb. 19.

The holiday was first enacted by Congress in 1879 to mark George Washington's birthday on Feb. 22 and later moved to the third Monday in February in 1968. While the name of the federal holiday remains Washington's Birthday, it is more often referred to as Presidents Day to include the birthday of Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 12.

Washington was born in 1732 (or Feb. 11, 1731, according to the old-style calendar) in Colonial Virgina. A Founding Father, he would lead the new nation as head of the Continental Army in the Revolution and as

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Center for Student Success and Engagement at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has launched a new, online career software portal to help prepare students for employment.

"The Career Trail Online" will provide a wide variety of services aimed at connecting students with their first jobs as college graduates and serve as a resource for alumni.

According to Dale Osef, MCLA's career development specialist, "The Career Trail," by Purple Briefcase, is a top-of-the-line, industry standard for connecting students to employers, faculty, staff, alumni and more.

"MCLA saw a need for a fresh, new approach to career development on our

Valentine's Day is here – and it's a pretty big business. In fact, U.S. consumers spent about $18 billion on their valentines in 2017, according to the National Retail Federation. Of course, recipients certainly appreciate flowers, candy, jewelry and so on, but this year, consider going beyond the traditional favorites to give your loved ones something more long-lasting – a financial gift.

And, while you're doing so, why not also go beyond the traditional definition of a "valentine"? After all, not all that $18 billion went to spouses or significant others. A sizable amount also went to non-romantic connections, including children, parents, friends,

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- It was not that long ago that the BART basketball team was the kind of program others might see as a doormat. Now, the Wolf Pack is on the doorstep of winning a league championship. Brandon Bamba scored 27 points Tuesday as Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School defeated Eagle Hill, 59-52, in the semi-finals of the River Valley Athletic League’s B Division Tournament. On Thursday afternoon at the North Adams Armory, BART will host the league title game -- a far cry from the program’s early days. “Two years ago, we were getting beaten by 60 and 70 points per game,” BART coach Rob Daugherty said after

The Clark Art Institute is now a member of Bank of America's "Museums on Us" program, providing cardholders with free admission on the first full weekend of each month.

Each Bank of America, Merrill Lynch or US Trust cardholder is allowed one free general admission to participating institutions on any eligible day. The program applies only to the first full weekend (consecutive Saturday and Sunday) of every month. Admission is non-transferable and for the cardholder only; guests of the cardholder do not receive free admission. Photo ID is required along with the valid credit or debit card.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A scheduled strike at the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority has been delayed. BRTA Administrator Robert Malnati issued a notice on Monday saying the paratransit operators have delayed a striked scheduled to begin on Monday, Feb. 19. A federal mediator will be meeting with BRTA on Feb. 21 to further discuss the situation and has asked the union workers to delay their strike. Drivers for Paratransit Management of the Berkshires voted down the best and final offer during contract negotiations and voted on Feb. 6 to strike. The 18 workers are represented by International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 404. The BRTA, which oversees

Tanglewood hosted a ceremonial topping off event at the construction site of the festival's new four-building complex on Monday, Feb. 12, celebrating the placement of the final steel beam on top of the building site. The new building complex will support the performances and rehearsal activities of the Tanglewood Music Center — the BSO's prestigious summer music academy — and serve as the home of the new Tanglewood Learning Institute. The beam—which was placed on top of the covered walkway connecting each building—was painted white and signed by the construction team, who were feted at the event in celebration of this project milestone.

ADAMS, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Commission passed an $87,877.52 budget with level town assessments. The committee met Thursday to go over a proposed budget with assessments based on population. Each member community of the 13-town district will be charged $2.87 per person based on the 2010 Census. "The assessments will be level," Program Manager Linda Cernik said. "It will be the same as last year." The two largest assessments were the town of Adams for an assessment at$24,354.64 and Williamstown at $22,256.43. The rest of the assessments ranged from just under $10,000 to just under $400. The town of

Twenty-five years ago, on Feb. 5, 1993, President Clinton signed into law the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which allows certain workers to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to deal with a serious health condition, have a baby, bond with a newborn or adopted child, or take care of a seriously ill relative. The FMLA was a major stride forward for the rights of workers and their families, but after a quarter decade the program's major gaps are clear. However, FMLA does not cover about 40 percent of the workforce, including workers at smaller companies and those who have recently changed jobs. And many workers who are eligible FMLA can't afford to take unpaid

The stock market is in turmoil. Several hundred point swings in the Dow and other averages has investors on edge. The indexes are suffering 1-2 percent point swings per day. How are you dealing with it? Over the last several months, I have written several columns preparing you for this day. I thought it might be useful to give readers a refresher course on coping. Here are some useful tips on avoiding that worst of all reactions—selling on the lows. Number one: do not check your portfolio. The more often you do, the greater the probability that you will panic and sell. Every time you check your investments in a freefall decline like this one, you will feel terrible. The